


Connection

by dominique012



Category: Torchwood
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-18 06:57:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1419018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dominique012/pseuds/dominique012
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>My first ever Torchwood fic! My take on Jack's loneliness and his view of early!Gwen. As always, feedback/concrit is appreciated.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Connection

**Author's Note:**

> My first ever Torchwood fic! My take on Jack's loneliness and his view of early!Gwen. As always, feedback/concrit is appreciated.

**Title:** Connection  
 **Pairings:** Jack/Gwen, sort of  
 **Spoilers:** None. Set early s1.  
 **Note:** My first ever Torchwood fic! My take on Jack's loneliness and his view of early!Gwen. As always, feedback/concrit is appreciated.  
 **Beta:** The wonderful [](http://nightporters.livejournal.com/profile)[**nightporters**](http://nightporters.livejournal.com/)

  
Jack stood in the doorway of his office, arms folded against his chest. He was watching the others get ready to leave.

Ianto walked past, carefully balancing a tall stack of papers. He held his usual focused and preoccupied expression as he headed carefully down to Archives.

Tosh shouldered her bag and looked over at Jack with a weary smile. He waved her away with a grin. Owen and Gwen called out goodbyes as the heavy door rolled open and she left for the night.

After a few minutes, Owen shrugged on his jacket. “Right then. I’m off too.” He nodded in Jack’s direction. “’Night Harkness.” And then smirked at Gwen, "Newbie.”

Gwen looked up from her desk, where she was a leafing through a folder. She gave him a cool stare. “Wanker,” she returned pleasantly.

Jack grinned. Gwen was a fast learner. Her mobile buzzed suddenly. She flipped it open and smiled as she read the display.

Jack turned back into his office. She’d be heading home in a minute.

He sat down at the desk, a familiar heaviness settling within him. He’d be alone again soon—alone and awake and waiting.

He busied himself shuffling papers around his desk, trying to ignore it. It was the same every night. Warding off loneliness in the busy, alien-filled day-to-day was one thing; being alone and lonely was far more distracting.

He picked up a report from the day and began a half-hearted skim. His mind, tired and bored, soon began to wander. Gwen would be heading home to Rhys. She’d been raving on all day about their dinner-and-a-movie plans. It had sounded mundane. And kind of enchanting.

She was so normal. During her first encounters with Torchwood, she’d proven herself to be brave and open and curious. But Jack had since found himself unexpectedly pleased that she was so normal. Excited about bowling. Christmas. The prospect of going home to a glass of wine and a cuddly boyfriend.

Jack was convinced she would add a valuable and refreshing perspective to the team. Someone whose mind wasn’t overrun with aliens and death and secrets. Someone who still had interests, loved ones, trust.

Basically, someone completely unlike him.

“Jack?”

Startled, he looked up to see her standing in the doorway. He was still absently holding her report. He put it down abruptly.

“Gwen.” He tried for a smile. “What do you need?”

She frowned, then smiled hesitantly, “You alright?”

“Yeah. Tired.” He paused expectantly. “What’s up?”

Her face brightened, “Well”, she began cheerily, “On the unresolved matter of you never having been to a rugby match here…”

He quirked an eyebrow, “Uh, yes?”

“I bought you tickets!” She held them up like a prize. “I thought you could finally go. It’s quite shocking, you realize, that you’ve never been.”

“Right. Thanks, Gwen.” He smiled, feeling both heartfelt gratitude and utter disbelief. Rugby tickets? He stood up and moved around the desk to stand in front of her.

He could see that she was on her way out. She was holding her bag and all rugged up for the cold. Her dark hair was half-hidden under a woolly red hat, and a matching scarf knotted loosely around her neck. With her dark eyes sparkling with excitement and her wide smile, she looked like an exuberant kid.

Jack reached for the tickets. Holding her excited gaze, he let his fingers brush hers. “Thank you, Gwen.”

She didn’t respond, just smiled and looked pleased with herself.

She was so warm, he mused, so simply happy. He just wanted to hold her and taste her. Feel it for one second. Not afraid or lonely or overwhelmed. Just alive.

Instead of taking the tickets from her, he took her fingertips and held them, not letting go. She wore a puzzled smile and gently resisted his grasp. “Jack?”

She still had her connection—a relationship—and a simple, happy existence. He knew that even just by working at Torchwood, she was risking that.

And so he wouldn’t hold her, he wouldn’t pull her close to him, feel her warm breath, tangle his fingers in her hair. He wouldn’t press his lips to hers, treasure her mouth and tongue with his. Feel her touching him.

Instead, he just held onto her fingers, meeting her confused eyes. She didn’t resist his hold anymore, and they just stood there holding hands and looking, Jack assumed, rather absurd. But Gwen didn’t speak or make him feel silly. She just stood with him.

Jack wanted her to remain normal and happy for as long as possible. Without the isolation and confused loneliness she would quite possibly soon feel. He let go of her hand and pressed his lips to her cheek.

“Thank you.” His voice was low. Gwen leaned into him, impulsively pulling him into a hug.

She rested her chin on his arm, “I’ll be here tomorrow morning, Jack.”

He was never so happy to hear those casual words.

He let go, feeling her warmth dissipate. She backed away, smiling a little nervously.

Jack smiled, determined not to ruin her. “Have a great night, Gwen.”

He watched her leave.

END


End file.
